Tag: OscarIsaac

Frankenstein

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

From the creative mind of Guillermo del Torro comes a new adaption of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The story follows Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a mad scientist, who attempts to bring people back from the dead. When he successfully gives life to a new type of creature (Jacob Elordi), nothing will never be the same again.

This film has been in the works for many years and I have to say it was well worth the wait. Coming in at two and a half hours seemed daunting at first, but every single one of those minutes is warranted. There have been quite a few versions of this story told and this one breathes new life into it while still staying true to the source material.

With del Torro saying he wanted real sets built for authenticity he truly brought his point across. Not only were they expertly crafted, they were so otherworldly that I was left speechless at times. All of a sudden it felt like I was transported into this place with its vibrant colors and cool locations. Each one just kept getting better. The beautiful set designs paired brilliantly with the costumes and the haunting score that played throughout.

The casting was spot on and the performances well done. Isaac was perfect as the titular character. You root for him at the beginning because he wants to prove himself so badly, but by the end I couldn’t help resenting him for the choices he made. Elordi, however, stole the show for me. I was so impressed with the way in which he approached his role. Not only was he unrecognizable, he also had to change his voice and mannerisms to match those of a monster. While Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth did not have a lot of screen time, they were so present every time we did see them and their character’s were just as integral to the story.

I loved the idea of splitting the film into three separate chapters. This gave the audience a chance to experience the events that were unfolding from different perspectives. You know the saying there are two sides to every story and then there’s the truth? That seemed to ring true here. Each part helped build all the important plot points and didn’t leave anything out. In most reiterations of Frankenstein, the Creation is usually depicted as an evil monster. This time around he was given some proper human qualities. I really appreciated this change and felt like it added so much more.

Overall Frankenstein really is as epic as everyone has been saying it is. From the performances, to the brilliant sets, costumes and the world building itself, it is truly a treat. Although I wish I had had the chance to see this in the cinema, I am glad that it exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to see how it does come awards season.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

In 2018, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse took the world by storm with its intricate storytelling and beyond insane animation styles. Now, five years later, we have the much anticipated sequel Across The Spider-Vers. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is thrust into a world full of Spider-People who want to protect their own. But when the heroes clash on how best to handle a new foe, Miles may need to rethink his destiny.

Full disclosure: I was one of those people who was late to the party. Having only watched the first film last fall, I was immediately swept up into it all. I understood the hype and couldn’t believe I’d slept on it for so long. And luckily this new installment is just as good as its predecessor.

Never have I ever seen such amazing visuals in a film before. It’s a shock to the senses with many different things going on at once, but it totally works. The comic book feel is elevated to the max and I commend the animators for going these distances. Seeing life in various universes was such an amazing experience as well.

Moore once again brings it as our main man Miles. Struggling to juggle every day life and his hero lifestyle is no easy feat and he’s learning as he goes along. I enjoyed having more backstory on Stenfield’s Gwen and am looking forward to her solo film already. The rest of the characters are voiced by some incredible talents in Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Brian Tyree Henry and Daniel Kaluuya, all of who the film wouldn’t be the same without.

As much as I enjoyed the film, I have to admit that I found it too long. Though this is part one of a two part epic, I did think it was dragged out at times. Additionally, there were some scenes in the middle that were on the slower side. They took me out of the action and weren’t always necessary.

Overall, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse was a damn good time, but it didn’t completely sell me. Maybe that will change after the second part comes out next year. I still think it’s one of the most impressive superhero films of all time and it certainly warranted the applause it got at the end.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Dune

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

Based on the book series of the same name, Dune follows the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a gifted young man who must fulfill his destiny. To make this happen, he must travel to a dangerous planet to secure the life of his family and his people. His journey, however, will not be an easy one as multiple forces hunt for a supply of a unique and special resource that will change the universe forever.

Let’s get this out of the way: I am not a fan of science fiction. Most of the time I end up confused and missing out on half of the story because they are way too intricate for me to comprehend. So, my expectations for this movie weren’t very high. Here I was thinking I would be spending the entire time struggling to keep up. I can gladly say that the opposite happened though and I ended up completely entranced in the story. While it took some time for things to get going, once it did, I was fully immersed and could barely turn my eyes away from the screen.

With such a stacked cast, it was impossible for me not to enjoy the various performances. While I was initially interested in seeing Zendaya and Jason Mamoa, even I have to admit that I wasn’t as bothered by Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Paul. He’s not usually a favorite of mine. Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista and Stellan Skarsgård were all flawless in their roles. Rebecca Ferguson’s role as Lady Jessica was the standout however. She stole every scene she was in.

I think the most impressive part of the film was the world building and the sets. I don’t think I had seen anything quite like it before and I couldn’t get over how realistic it all looked. That is something that I admire most about this genre and Dune was no exception. I felt immediately transported to those places which I greatly appreciated. Additionally, the musical score was beautifully haunting and fit perfectly. Hans Zimmer is a genius. I had chills multiple times throughout.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Dune. It was very well done and I can say that it is worth the hype it has been receiving. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥